Method and system for displaying at least one spatial section depending on an eye position of a person

ABSTRACT

A first display surface of a first display device in a first space displays a second section of a second space in which a second display device is located. An eye position of a user in the first space is recorded by at least one first recording apparatus. The second section of the second space is determined in dependence on the eye position of the user in the first space and is recorded by at least one second recording apparatus.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/649,526, filed on Mar. 20, 2020 which is a U.S. national stage ofInternational Application No. PCT/EP2018/070783, filed on Jul. 31, 2018.The International Application claims the priority benefit of GermanApplication 10 2017 216 843.9 filed on Sep. 22, 2017. All priorapplications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

Described below is a method for displaying at least one section of spaceof at least one space on a first display surface of a first displaydevice for a first person.

The related art includes methods in which, for example, two people areable to communicate with one another by way of video telephony and inthe process an image of the first person is transmitted to the secondperson and an image of the second person is transmitted to the firstperson. The images are displayed on respective display devices for therespective people. In the process, the respective sections of space arein particular recorded by the respective cameras of the display devicesand the image information is transmitted to the respective displaydevice of the counterpart via a network and displayed on the imagingapparatus of the respective display device. A fixed image of the sectionof space is displayed in the related art. If, for example, the personmoves closer to the camera, then the displayed section of space staysthe same on the display device for the person. In other words, thedisplayed section of space from the related art does not change with theviewing direction of the respective person.

SUMMARY

An aspect is to display an improved depiction of a space on a displaydevice as an image for a person.

One aspect relates to a method for displaying at least one first sectionof space of at least one first space on a first display surface of afirst display device for a first person. A second section of space of asecond space in which the second display device is located is recordedby at least one camera, and the second section of space is displayed onthe first display surface as first image.

The second space is recorded by the camera and an eye position of thefirst person is recorded by at least one recording apparatus. The secondsection of space, defined in dependence on the recorded eye position, isdisplayed on the first display surface as the first image.

It is thereby made possible for the first person to be shown the imageof the second space, in particular of the second section of the secondspace, on the first display surface depending on the eye position of thefirst person. In other words, the first person is able to see into thesecond space with different viewing angles and, for example, look aroundin the second space by changing how the first display device is viewed.Similarly to looking through a window, the second space, which is behindthe (virtual) window, is accordingly able to be observed by the firstperson. By a change in the position of the first person, in particularby a change in the eye position of the first person, it is thenaccordingly possible to display the second space “behind the window”.Particularly realistic communication between the first display deviceand the second display device is thereby able to be achieved. It isfurthermore possible to achieve a situation whereby, for example,objects that are concealed by another object in the second space at afirst viewing angle are able to be observed by changing viewing angle.An improved display of the second space is thereby able to be achievedfor the first person.

In other words, the second space is recorded by the camera. An eyeposition is recorded by a recording apparatus of the first personlocated outside the second space. The second section of the second spaceis selected by a control apparatus depending on the recorded eyeposition of the first person. The first display device is driven by thecontrol apparatus so as to display the selected second section of thesecond space.

It is likewise possible, in addition to the pure image information fordisplaying the image, also to jointly transmit further informationrelating, for example, to a temperature or a movement in the space.Sound information may furthermore also be jointly recorded andtransmitted. The transmission in particular takes place in real time andwith real content.

The recording apparatus may, for example, record the eye position byimage processing on an image recorded by another camera. The eyeposition may also be recorded by recording a temperature of the space inwhich the first person is located. It is likewise possible for the eyeposition to be recorded on the basis of markers on the first person.

The first and/or the second display device may furthermore alsocommunicate with at least one further third display device, such that adisplayed section of a third space in which the third display device islocated is also adjusted accordingly to at least the recorded viewingangle of the first person and is able to be displayed on the firstand/or the second display device. By way of example, a third imageand/or the first and/or a second image may be displayed on the firstand/or the second display surface.

According to one advantageous embodiment, the person and a first spacein which the first person is located may be recorded by at least onefirst camera of the recording apparatus, and a first section of a firstspace may be displayed on a second display surface of the second displaydevice as second image. In this embodiment, the first section of thefirst space may, for example, accordingly be displayed on the seconddisplay surface of the second display device for a second person who islocated in the second space. The second person may thereby, for example,likewise be shown the first person on a display surface of the seconddisplay device, as a result of which it is possible to achieve improvedcommunication between the first and the second person.

It has furthermore proven to be advantageous if a second eye position ofthe second person who is located in the second space is recorded by theat least one second camera of the second display device, and if thesecond image of the first section of space is adjusted on the seconddisplay surface depending on the second eye position. In other words,the second image on the second display surface may likewise be adjusteddepending on the second eye position of the second person, also givingthe second person a kind of view through a window. As a result, thesecond image, which displays the first space containing, for example,the first person, may also be adjusted for the second person dependingon the position of the second person or the viewing angle of the secondperson. It is thereby made possible to achieve particularly realisticcommunication between the first person and the second person dependingon the respective viewing angles.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the first person and the firstsection of space may be displayed on the second display surface as a3-dimensional second image and/or a second person and the second sectionof space may be displayed on the first display surface as a3-dimensional first image. Communication that is particularly close toreality is thereby able to be performed between the people.

It is likewise advantageous if at least the first display surface isprovided with a semitransparent design and at least the first image isdisplayed on the first display surface as augmented reality. There mayin particular also be provision for the second image to be displayed onthe second display surface as augmented reality. In augmented reality,the person is able to continue to perceive the surroundings behind thefirst display surface while the image is being projected onto the firstdisplay surface. The person is able to see through the first image, asit were, and continue to perceive the surroundings behind the firstdisplay surface. It is thereby possible to perform communication inwhich the person is still able to perceive the surroundings of thedisplay device. By way of example, in a motor vehicle, a window may beused as first display surface and a vehicle occupant, as a person, isable to continue to perceive the surroundings of the motor vehicle andstill be shown the first image on the first display surface.

It has furthermore proven to be advantageous if at least the secondspace is recorded by at least two cameras, in particular by threecameras. There may in particular also be provision, as an alternative orin addition, for the first space and/or the first person to be recordedby at least two cameras, in particular by three cameras, associated withthe first display device. Particularly reliable capturing of the spacemay in particular be made possible by the at least two cameras, inparticular by the three cameras, such that a particularly advantageousdisplay of the section of space is in particular able to be achieveddepending on the eye position of the person viewing the space. Thevarious viewing angles may thereby in particular be displayedparticularly realistically, since the at least two cameras are able torecord the space from different directions, and the space is therebyable to be displayed better. It is thereby likewise possible to providethe option of being able to display a hologram or a three-dimensionalimage.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, at least one firstcamera capturing the first space and/or a second camera may be designedas an image-capturing film and/or at least the first display surface maybe designed as an imaging film. The first display device is thereby ableto be provided in a particularly installation space-saving manner inwhich the first display device has both an image-capturing film and animaging (image displaying) film. By way of example, a motor vehiclewindow or a mirror may be used as a display and/or capturing device. Itis thereby possible to install such a display device easily and in aninstallation space-saving manner for many carrier media for the film,such that communication between a person and the space or between aperson and a further person may be performed particularly easily andconveniently.

It is furthermore advantageous if the image-capturing film and/or theimaging film is formed on a first carrier element of the first displaydevice. A window or a mirror may, for example, be used as a carrierelement. A motor vehicle window or a motor vehicle mirror inside a motorvehicle may in particular be used as a carrier element. It is therebymade possible both for an image to be able to be captured and for animage to be able to be displayed by a single carrier element. This isparticularly convenient and saving on installation space.

There may furthermore be provision for an LCD film to be arrangedjointly on the first carrier element, which LCD film is able to bedarkened pixel by pixel such that depth information of the imaging filmis able to be perceived better by the person. The LCD film may inparticular be used to darken only the regions on which an image or partsof the image are also displayed, such that the regions where no image isdisplayed continue to be transparent to the person.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the image-capturing and theimaging film may be provided as a single one-piece film element. Inother words, a single film element that is designed to be bothimage-capturing and imaging may be arranged on the carrier element. Itis thereby particularly easy to arrange the film element, which is ableto both record and display, on the carrier element, as a result of whichit is possible to save on both installation effort and installationspace.

A further aspect relates to a system having a first display device and asecond display device that are designed to perform a method according toone of the preceding aspects. The first display device is coupled to atleast the second display device via a network in order to exchangeinformation. The network may in this case be designed to be both wiredand wireless.

Advantageous embodiments of the method should be considered to beadvantageous embodiments of the system, wherein the system to this endhas features in terms of its subject matter that allow the method to beperformed. For this reason, the corresponding developments of the systemare not described again here.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects and advantages will become more apparent andmore readily appreciated from the following description of the exemplaryembodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings ofwhich:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of one embodiment of a system having twodisplay devices for communication between two people;

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of the systemwith a first space and a second space; and

FIGS. 3a-3c are further schematic perspective views of the system in amotor vehicle for communication between two people.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments,examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinlike reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

In the exemplary embodiments explained below, the described componentsof the embodiments each constitute individual features that should beconsidered independently of one another and that in each case providedevelopments independently of one another and should therefore also beconsidered both individually and in a combination other than the oneshown. The described embodiments are furthermore also able to besupplemented by more of the features that have already been described.

In the figures, functionally identical elements are in each caseprovided with the same reference signs.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of one embodiment of a system 1. Thesystem 1 has at least one first display device 2 and at least one seconddisplay device 3. The first display device 2 is coupled to the seconddisplay device 3 via a network 4 in order to exchange information. Thenetwork 4 may in this case be designed to be both wired and wireless.

The first display device 2 has a first display surface 5 and the seconddisplay device 3 has a second display surface 6. The first displaydevice 2 furthermore has at least one first camera 7, in the presentcase three first cameras 7. A first space 8 is able to be recorded usingthe cameras 7.

A respective recording region E1, E2, E3 is able to be recorded usingthe cameras 7, such that the first space 8 is able to be recorded, inparticular completely.

The second display device 3 has at least one second camera 9, in thepresent case in particular three second cameras 9. A second space 10 isable to be recorded using the second cameras 9. A respective recordingregion E4, E5, E6 is in particular able to be recorded by a respectivecamera 9, as a result of which the space 10 is able to be recorded, inparticular completely.

There is provision for the second space 10 to be recorded by the secondcameras 9 and for an eye position 11 of a first person 12 to be recordedby the first cameras 7 of the first display device 2. A second sectionof space 13, which displays at least regions of the second space 10, isdisplayed on the first display surface 5 as a first image 14 dependingon the recorded eye position 11.

There is in particular provision, if the first person 12, in particularthe eye position 11 of the first person 12, changes, for the secondsection of space 13 to be adjusted for the first person 12 according tothe eye position 11. This results in a kind of “view through a window”for the first person 12, such that the first person 12 is able to lookthrough a kind of window by the first display device 2 and is thus shownthe second space 10 in the same way as through a window. If the eyeposition 11 changes, the view through the window thus also changes.

There may in particular be provision for further information about thesecond space 10 to be provided on the first display device 2 in additionto the image 14. By way of example, a temperature and/or a surfacecondition and/or a movement may be jointly shown on the display device2.

There may furthermore be provision for a first section of space 15 ofthe first space 8 to be displayed on the second display surface 6 of thesecond display device 3. A second eye position 16 of a second person 17who is located in the second space 16 may in particular be recorded bythe second cameras 9, and a second image 18 of the first section ofspace 15 may be adjusted accordingly on the second display surface 6depending on the second eye position 16. A kind of view through a windowmay in particular thereby also be created for the second person 17, suchthat the second person 17 also looks through the “window” via the seconddisplay device 3 and is accordingly able to observe the first space 8depending on the second eye position 16.

There may in particular be provision for the first display surface 5and/or the second display surface 6 to be provided with asemitransparent design and for at least the first image 14 and/or thesecond image 18 to be displayed on the first display surface 5 and/or onthe second display surface 6 as augmented reality. In other words, thefirst person 12 is able to see through the semitransparent displaysurface 5 and perceive surroundings 19 of the first display device 2. Atthe same time, the first image 14 may be projected onto the firstdisplay surface 5 and be observed as augmented reality. It is likewisepossible for the second person 17 to see through the second displaysurface 6 and perceive the second surroundings 20 of the second displaydevice 3 and for the second image 18 to be displayed on the displaysurface 6 as augmented reality.

There may furthermore be provision for at least the first camera 7and/or the second camera 9 to be designed as a respectiveimage-capturing film 21 and/or at least for the first display surface 5and/or the second display surface 6 to be designed as an imaging film22.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of the system 1. The firstperson 12 is looking through the first display device 2, in the same wayas through a window, and is able to see the second person 17 in thesecond space 10. The second person 17 is looking through the seconddisplay device 3 and is able to perceive the first person 12 in thefirst space 8, in the same way as through a window. In particular in theevent of a change in perspective or in the event of a change in positionof the people 12, 17, the respective displays of the sections of space13, 15 can be adjusted, such that communication that is particularlyclose to reality is able to be performed between the first person 12 andthe second person 17. It may in particular be made possible here, forexample, to also jointly transmit sound information in addition to theimage. Further communication with at least one further third displaydevice may also take place, wherein a third image may then be displayedon the respective display surfaces 5, 6 in addition or instead.

FIG. 3 shows a further schematic perspective view of the system 1. FIG.3 schematically shows the change in perspective. The first person 12 islooking through the first display device 2, in particular through thefirst display surface 5, and is able to see the second person 17, who isshown as a toddler in the present case. In the present example, thefirst person 12 may, for example, be sitting on a front seat of a motorvehicle and looking, for example, through a front windscreen thatcontains the display device 2. The child 17 may, for example, be sittingon seats in a rear region and the second display device 3 may, forexample, be installed in one seat from among the front seats. In otherwords, the first person 12 is looking out of the windscreen and is ableto observe the second person 17, who is located, for example, in therear region, through the windscreen or on the display device 2, 3 thatis arranged on the windscreen.

There may in particular be provision for the first person 12 and thefirst section of space 15 to be displayed on the second display surface6 as a 3-dimensional second image 18 and/or for the second person 17 andthe second section of space 13 to be displayed on the first displaysurface 6 as a 3-dimensional first image 14.

There may furthermore in particular be provision for the image-capturingfilm 21 and/or the imaging film 22 to be formed on a first carrierelement 23 of the first display device 2 and/or of the second displaydevice 3. The image-capturing and the imaging film 21, 22 is inparticular provided as a single one-piece film element.

There may furthermore be provision for an LCD film to be arrangedjointly on the first carrier element 23, which LCD film is able to bedarkened pixel by pixel such that depth information of the imaging film22 is able to be perceived better by a person 12, 17. The LCD film mayin particular be used to darken only the regions on which an image 14,18 or parts of the image 14, 18 are also displayed, such that theregions where no image 14, 18 is displayed continue to be transparent toa person 12, 17.

FIG. 3 furthermore shows different perspectives in FIG. 3a to FIG. 3c .In FIG. 3a , the first person 12 is looking straight ahead through thefirst display surface 5 and therefore sees the second person 17 in afront-on view.

In FIG. 3b , the first person 17 has changed eye position 11, inparticular in the present case directed his view to the right, such thatthe second person 17 is then accordingly displayed in rotated form onthe first display surface 5.

In FIG. 3c , the first person 12 has turned his viewing direction to theleft, such that the second person 17 is displayed on the first displaysurface 5 according to the lefthand viewing angle of the first person12.

The examples show overall how to achieve the use of a three-dimensionalhologram in order to record and transmit spatial content in a movingvirtual space.

A description has been provided with particular reference to preferredembodiments thereof and examples, but it will be understood thatvariations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scopeof the claims which may include the phrase “at least one of A, B and C”as an alternative expression that means one or more of A, B and C may beused, contrary to the holding in Superguide v. DIRECTV, 358 F3d 870, 69USPQ2d 1865 (Fed. Cir. 2004).

1.-10. (canceled)
 11. A method for displaying, comprising: detecting afirst eye position, by at least one recording apparatus, of a firstperson in a first section of a first space in which a first displaysurface of a first display device and at least one first camera arelocated, the first display surface being semitransparent; recording asecond section, dependent on the first eye position, of a second spacein which a second display device is located, by at least one secondcamera; displaying the second section of space on the first displaysurface as a first image; transmitting information relating to atemperature, a movement in the second space and a surface condition fromthe second space to the first space; and displaying at least one of thetemperature, the movement and the surface condition with the first imageon the first display surface as augmented reality.
 12. The methodaccording to claim 11, further comprising: recording the first personand the first space by the at least one first camera; and displaying thefirst section of the first space on a second display surface of thesecond display device as a second image.
 13. The method according toclaim 12, further comprising: detecting a second eye position of asecond person located in the second space by the at least one secondcamera of the second display device; and adjusting display of the secondimage of the first section of the first space on the second displaysurface depending on the second eye position.
 14. The method accordingto claim 13, wherein the first person and the first section of the firstspace are displayed on the second display surface as a 3-dimensionalimage.
 15. The method according to claim 13, wherein a second person andthe second section of space are displayed on the first display surfaceas a 3-dimensional image.
 16. The method according to claim 15, whereinat least the second space is recorded by at least two second cameras.17. The method according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the atleast one first camera and the at least one second camera is animage-capturing film and/or at least the first display surface is animage-displaying film.
 18. The method according to claim 17, wherein atleast one of the image-capturing film and the image-displaying film isformed on a carrier element of the first display device and/or of thesecond display device.
 19. The method according to claim 18, wherein theimage-capturing film and the image-displaying film are provided as asingle one-piece film element.
 20. The method according to claim 11,wherein at least one of the at least one first camera and the at leastone second camera is an image-capturing film and/or at least the firstdisplay surface is an image-displaying film.
 21. The method according toclaim 20, wherein at least one of the image-capturing film and theimage-displaying film is formed on a carrier element of the firstdisplay device and/or of the second display device.
 22. The methodaccording to claim 21, wherein the image-capturing film and theimage-displaying film are provided as a single one-piece film element.23. A system, comprising: a first display device, having a first displaysurface, viewable from a first space; at least one first cameraconfigured to capture at least a first section of the first space; afirst recording apparatus configured to detect a first eye position of afirst person in the first space; a second display device, having asecond display surface, viewable from a second space; at least onesecond camera, configured to capture a first image of at least a secondsection of the second space, the second section determined in dependenceon the first eye position; and a network coupled to the first displaydevice, the at least one first camera, the first recording apparatus,the second display device and the at least one second camera andconfigured to transmit information relating to a temperature, a movementin the second space and a surface condition in the second space to thefirst display device, the first display device configured to display atleast one of the temperature, the movement and the surface conditionwith the first image on the first display surface as augmented reality.24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the at least one firstcamera is configured to record the first person and the first section ofthe first space, and wherein the second display device is configured todisplay the first section of the first space on the second displaysurface of the as a second image.
 25. The system according to claim 24,wherein the at least one second camera is configured to detect a secondeye position of a second person located in the second space, and whereinthe second display device is configured to display the second image ofthe first section of the first space on the second display surfacedepending on the second eye position.
 26. The system according to claim23, wherein at least one of the at least one first camera and the atleast one second camera is an image-capturing film and/or at least thefirst display surface is an image-displaying film.
 27. The systemaccording to claim 26, wherein at least one of the image-capturing filmand the image-displaying film is formed on a carrier element of thefirst display device and/or of the second display device.
 28. The systemaccording to claim 27, wherein the image-capturing film and theimage-displaying film are provided as a single one-piece film element.29. A motor vehicle communicating with a remote video device,comprising: a display device, having a display surface, viewable fromthe interior of the motor vehicle; a recording apparatus configured todetect an eye position of an occupant of the motor vehicle; and acommunication interface, coupled to the display device and the recordingapparatus, sending instructions to the remote video device to send animage of a section of a space viewable by the remote video device, thesection determined in dependence on the eye position of the occupant,and information relating to a temperature, a movement in the space and asurface condition in the space, the display device configured to displayat least one of the temperature, the movement and the surface conditionwith the image on the display surface as augmented reality.